Automatically folding structure



March 2, 1954 PQND 2,670,477

AUTOMATICALLY FOLDING STRUCTURE Filed Dec. 6, 195].

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BY 2- In B Patented Mar. 2, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEAUTOMATICALLY FOLDING STRUCTURE Kenneth H. Pond, Longmeadow,

to Gardner Wood Products 00.,

Mass., assignor Inc., Gardner,

Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application December 6, 1951,Serial No. 266,249

5 Claims.

not to be limited thereto, it being equally applicable to a variety offurniture pieces such as cribs, cradles, tables, beds or the like, andto a variety of other structures such as animal kennels or 'coops,exercising or amusement arenas, and to the broad class of receptacles,including boxes, crates, shipping containers, and the like.

The principal object of my invention is directed to the provision of afoldable structure, the parts of which are so arranged for folding orcollapsing relative to each other that the movement of certain partsautomatically initiates movement on the part of other related partswhereby the device changes from an open-operating position to acollapsed non-operating position.

It is to be appreciated that the direction of effort in this inventionhas been to provide an automatically folding or collapsing structurewhich is' smooth in its functioning, the mechanical motions being suchthat once initiated all components or elements readily contribute to theac tion simultaneously with each other.

My invention also consists in certain new and original features ofconstruction and combination of parts hereinafter set forth and claimedin conjunction with the annexed drawings which illustrate a certain formof embodiment thereof, which form is deemed preferable and is a specificdisclosure for the purpose of illustrating one embodiment of theinvention by way of an example since the same has been found in practiceto give satisfactory and reliable results. It is to be understood thatthe various parts of which the invention consists, can be variouslychanged Within the scope of the appended claims without departing fromthe broad aspects and spirit of the invention and that same is notlimited to the precise arrangement and organization of theinstrumentalities as herein shown and described.

To the above cited and other ends and with the foregoing and variousother novel features and advantages and other objects of my invention aswill become more readily apparent as the description proceeds, myinvention consists in cer tain novel features of construction and in thecombination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter moreparticularly pointed out in the claims hereunto annexed and more fullydescribed and referred to in connection with the accompanying drawingswherein:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a childs play yard in the open or operatingposition showing certain features of my construction;

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view yard shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the play yard along the line 33of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the play yard along the line 4-4of Fig. 1.

of the play In the following description and claims, various detailswill be identified by specific names for convenience. These names,however, are intended to be as generic in their application as the artwill permit.

Referring now to the drawing more in detail, in which similar charactersof reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures, andreferring more particularly to the preferred form of my inventionselected for illustrative purposes, I have shown a play yard although itwill be understood that the device of my invention could be a crib or ashipping receptacle or similar article equally as well so long asadapted for the folding or collapsing functions, which are the primaryconcern of this description.

The play yard as shown includes a pair of hori zontally-extending lowerend rails l0 and I2 spaced opposite from and parallel to each other.

Horizontally extending upper end rails l4 and I6 are disposed above thelower end rails l0 and I2 respectively.

A plurality of vertically extending connecting bars l8 connect therespective upper and lower end rails on each side of the structure. Itwill be understood, however, that these rails may, if desired, beconnected by other types of construction so as to provide, for example,solid side walls or walls of other types, all such as are well known andform no part of this invention.

An upper and lower end rail and the connecting member or memberstherebetween comprise what wil be hereinafter referred to in thisspecification as an end member.

A vertically extending corner post 20 is provided at each end of each ofthe end members. In each instance, the respective lower and upper endrails are fixed thereto in any conventional manner, as is shown in Fig.2.

Pairs of opposite and spaced lower and upper side rail members andconnecting bars therebetween are similarly provided on each side of theside members are hingedly connected to the respective adjacent posts butalso in the respect that each of the side members is sub-dividedv intohalves or sections 30, which halvesorsec tions are hingedly connected toeach other bymeans of hinges 3? wherebythe sections-311 011 each side ofthe structure are foldable inwardly relative to each other and relativeto the opposite end members in a manner as is clearly shown in U. S.Letters Patent #2,489,188 issued to Henry J. Landry on November 22,1949.

By reference to that patent, it will be understood that the structuremay thus be changed from an operating or open position whereat theopposite end wall members and opposite side wall members are spaced awayfrom each other to a non-operating or collapsed position whereat theopposite end wall members are brought toward each other and areseparated by the folded sections of the side wall members.

The members are so fixed relative to the end members and are so hingedlyconnected to the side members that the lower extremities 2! of themembers 26 extend downwardly below the plane of the lower edges of theside and end members whereby legs are provided and the main bodystructure is held up off the floor. This is particularly desirable wherethe structure is used as a play yard or crib for a baby in whichinstance it is desired to avoid drafts close to the floor which mayadversely affect the health of the baby.

A floor or base (the construction being a fiOOI in the case of a playyard, crib or cradle and being a base in the case of a receptacle)coin-- prises a pair of floor members and 42. These members are pivotedby means of hinges and to their respective lower end rails i9 and I2, asshown in Fig. 3.

Members 49 and 42-aregenerally triangular in form. and have their apicespointing toward each other. Member, 40 isprovided with apair of wingmembers 5! and 52 and member dZ-is provided with a pair of wing members53-.and.54.

The wing members are generally triangular in shape and are of suchdimension that-the members it and 12 and the wing members 51, 52, 53 and5 1 when placed in a horizontal plane side by side in the manner shownby Landry generally cover the area defined within the opposed side andend members ofrthestructureh The wing members 5!, 52, 53 and 54 arehinged to the respective adjacent member 49 01:42 by hinges 56.

The wings 5!, 52, 53 and 54 have outen un.- hinged free edges adjacentthe respectiversections of the lower side rails. the wings are notjoined to the adjacent .sections of the lower side rails, all forreasons as will be presently observed. They are supported relativethereto by means of straps subsequently to be described. An improvementover the aforementioned Landry construction has been obtained in theelimination of a hinged connection between the wing members and theadjacent lower side rails inasmuch as in movements from That is to say,

an open to a collapsed position there are movements of the wing memberrelative to the respective section of the side members. Special hingeshaving slots to permit certain sliding or shifting motions of oneelement relative to the other have thus heretofore been necassary andthese have been objectionable due to frequent malfunctions.

According to this invention, the wing members not being connected toadjacent frame members there is free movement of the wings duringmovement of the parts between open and closed positions. The wingmembers in no way prevent proper functioning of the relatively hingedside rail sections.

member outwardly beyond the rail memberl2 as shown in Fig. 3.

A pedal member consists of a foot engaging portion 68 and a pair ofparallel side faces 61 which extend downwardly and away from thefootportion S6. The side faces 87 have lower ends 68 or extremitieswhich are offset oran-.-- gularly disposed relative thereto. as shownin- Fig. 3, andthese ends are fixed to opposite sides of the member 60as by screws 65 or the like.

The ends 68 are notched; as at 10 to provide a clearance for the railmember 12 as in the case of the driving member 60 as aforementionedwhereby a pivotalaction'ofmember 69 and the pedal member fixed theretorelative to the rail member 52 is made possible by hinges 46.

The construction and relation-of parts is such that as the foot engagingportion 66 of the pedal member is engaged by the foot of the operatorand as the same is depressed downwardly; to a lowermost position asshown in dot-dash lines in Fig. 3, the. floor member. 42518: urgedupwardly pivoting on the-hinges 46 relative to the rail member i 2 andthereby shifting from; its operat: ing position inthe horizontal planeto its non.- operating position in the vertical plane.

There is also provided a connectinglinkll. which may be, madeof anysuitable, material and which has one extremity connected in pivotalrelationto theinner extremity figi'of the operating member 60 bymeanslofg suitable attachment "M- such as a pin or; the usual design.Member, 12';

has its opposite extremity held vin pivotalirela,-

tion'to a bracketzmember 16 which is fixed to the. underside. of the,floor member 40 as by rivets; l 8- or the-like;

The link I2. is of Suchtension that asthe ope crating memberfifi isurged upwardly toits verticalposition, the link 12i issimultaneously.acatuated upwardly causing floor member. 40 to.

pivot. upwardly'upon its hingemembers Mxrele ative to-.-the adjacentend'wall member andiurg ing same tobemoved inwardly toward the oppositeend wall members i in. front of whichv thev operator is standing;

It will be appreciated: that while the pedal- It will also be understoodthat casters (not shown) may be secured to the lower extremities of theposts 20 so as to facilitate these movements relative to the base, flooror ground area upon which the structure is placed.

Thus actuating the operating member brings about the elevation of floormembers 40 and 42. Simultaneously therewith, movement of the hingedsections ofthe side rails inwardly between the end rails is accomplishedby means now to be described.

' Additionally, elevator members in the form of flexible straps 80 areprovided beneath the adjacent inner edges of the floor members 40 and 42and have their opposite free ends fixed to the respective sections ofthe lower end rails 30 as shown in Figs. 1 and 4. Brackets 82 in theform of angles are fixed to the members 30 by screws 84 or the like. Theends of the straps 80 are carried over the top portions of the anglesand are fitted between the angles and the members 38 where they are heldsecure by means of the'fastening means 84. Other means for securing therails to the straps may be provided.

The midsections of the straps 80 are secured to the underside of therespective floor member 40 or 42 so that as the floor members areelevated from their horizontal to their vertical positions, the strapmembers simultaneously are actuated so that they pull the respectivesections of the side wall members inwardly.

The sections of the side wall members on each side being hinged to eachother as aforementioned, a movement is effected whereby the sectionsmove inwardly together so as to obtain the desired collapsing action.

It will here by understood that the wing members 5|, 52, 53, and 54 arein no way connected to the respective sections'of the side wall members.The wing members do seat upon the straps in horizontal position thereof.Since opposite ends of the straps are secured to the side rail sections,the inner adjacent edge portions of the floor sections are supported sothat the central portion of the floor which is most used is adequatelysupported.

The various components of my invention having been described, I shallnow describe the operation of my construction.

When the operator presses upon pedal 66, a pivotal action is initiatedas the inner end of the operating member 60 is urged upwardly carryingtherewith the floor member 42, which pivots upwardly upon hinges 46.Simultaneously, a similar pivoting action is initiated in the case offloor member 40 which pivots upwardly upon hinges 44, this action beingproduced by means of the extremity 62 of the member 60 which initiatesthe movement of the floor member 40 upwardly as the floor member 42 isurged upwardly. As member 42 continues upwardly, link 12 is pulledupwardly so as to urge the member 40 to hinge upon the hinges 44.

As the floor members 40 and 42 are raised about the axes of therespective hinges 44 and 46, the respective pairs of wing members beinghingeably and pivotally connected thereto are simultaneously raisedupwardly.

As the floor members are raised upwardly, the sections of the foldableside members are simultaneously moved inwardly, by the action of thestraps 80 and 80.

It is to be appreciated that all of these actions are simultaneous witheach other so that as the floor members are urged upwardly to thesubstantially vertical positions, the wing members are similarlyelevated to substantially vertical positions to the point whereat thefloor members and respective wing members are folded or collapsedinwardly between the opposite sides which are brought toward each otherto provide a collapsed structure ready for carrying or storage.

Conversely, when it is desired to open the structure from the collapsedor folded position to the open or operating position, the ends need onlybe separated from each other. Such a separating action urges the floorand wing members downwardly by their own weight as the sections of. theside rail members are moved outwardly.

It will be noted that the floor members are elevated from horizontal tovertical position by operating mechanism arranged for positive action onthe main floor members 4!! and 42 and that simultaneously therewith theside rail sections are moved inwardly by upward movements of said mainfloor members. In this way, the wing members do not function with anelevating action which tends to cause buckling thereof and the wingmembers not being attached to any rail members they do not interferewith or control the relative movement of other components. It will alsobe noted that the straps have a dual function in that they not onlyfunction to draw the side rail sections inwardly but provide supportingmeans for inner edge portions of the floor members which is important instructures of this kind.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departingfrom the essential characteristics thereof. Hence, the presentembodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects merely asbeing illustrative and not as being restrictive, the scope of theinvention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by theforegoing description, and all modifications and variations as fallwithin the meaning and purview and range of equivalency of the appendedclaims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What it is desired to claim and secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

1. A foldable construction comprising in combination, a pair of separateend members, a pair of separate side members each including a pair ofsections hinged together at their inner edges and hinged at their outeredges to outer ends of said end members and adapted whereby the pairs ofside members may be disposed in folded adjacency between said endmembers in the folded relation of the construction and in extendedadjacency forming a rectangle with said end members in the non-foldedrelation of the construction, a pair of floor members each having alongitudinal edge hinged to one of said end members and provided withtransverse free end edges, wing members adjacent the opposite free endedges of said floor members having inner edges hinged thereto andprovided with free edges adjacent and opposite thereto, and a pair ofelevators each having outer ends connected to said side members and eachhaving a mid section connected to one of said floor members,.all adaptedand arranged whereby in movement of the parts form a nonfolded to afolded relation and as said end members are moved together saidelevators are caused to pull said side members inwardly.

2. A folding construction comprising in combination, and end rail memberat each end of the folding construction, a pair of floor members eachhaving a longitudinal edge hinged to one of said ege'romw 7 end 1'rail-1 members andhaving wing membershingedly secured to its adjacent.transverse" end edges asiderail member-at each: end of the foldaltadapted and arranged fwhereby as said :rloor.

members are swung into substantially'vertical positions: saidEsiderailmembers are moved m wardly by said elevatorss,

3: A foldableconstructioncomprising incombination; axpair oi i'spaced'en'd members; a pair of spaced side memberszeach including a pair .of:side sections hingedtogether"- at. their inner. edges and hinged "attheir-outer ends to outer ends of said enddn'embers andthepairs of .sidesections being disposed i in close folded adjacency between saidendrmembers in the folded relation of the constrnctio'm a pair of floormembers each having a longitudinal edge hinged to one of said endmemhers-and provided with transverse free end edges,

wings addacentthei-opposite free end edges of said fioor-members-having. inner edges hinged thereto and'provided'witmfree edgesadjacent and opposite-thereto, and-elevators independent of andsuporting each: ot'said wings and each having outer ends connectedjotheoppositely disposed side rail sections and an inner portionconnectedto; a;- free edge portion of the one of said floor members adjacentthereto, all adapted and arranged-whereby movement I of parts from anon-foldedto' 'asfolded relationthe sections of said side: membersare:moved inwardly. by said bination; a pair-of separate end members, a.pair ot-'separate--si'demembers eachmclud ing a pair of sections hingedtogether at their inner edgesv 8 andihingedi' atrtheir outer' edges tothe adjacent outer 'ends of: said end members, apair of floor memberseach havinga longitudinal edge hingedto. one of said endmembers andprovided with opposite transverse free end edges, wing membersiadjacentthe-freeend edges of said floor membersmhaving inner edges hingedthereto, and aupain. of elevators each having the outer ends thereofconnected to the adjacentside members and; each having an-. intermediateportion connected to adjacent floor members, all. adapted and arrangedwhereby inmovement of the parts from a non-folded to a folded relationsaid'en'd.

members are moved together and said elevators are caused to pull saidside members inwardly.

5. A foldable construction comprisingin combination'; a pair of spacedend members, a-pair.

of spaced side members each including a pair of side'sections hingedtogether at their inneredges and hinged at their outer ends to outerends of said end members, a pair of floor members each having alongitudinal edge hinged to one of said end members and provided withopposite transverse-free end edges, wings adjacent each of the freeendedges of said floor members having inner edges hinged thereto, and apair of elevators independent of and supporting each of saidwings andeach having outer ends connected to the oppositely disposed side railsections and an inner portion connected to a free edge portion of theone of said floor members adjacent thereto, all adapted and arrangedwhereby in movement of parts from non-folded to folded positions thesections of said side members are moved inwardly bysaid elevators.

KENNETH H. POND.

References Cited in the file of thispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 2,489,188 Landry Nov; 22, 1949 2,523,124- Landry Sept. 9, 1950

